Cost of Government Day [consuming 53.9 percent of national income.......]

Real Clear Politics ^ | Grover Norquist

[Sub-Driver]

Cost of Government Day By Grover Norquist

This year Americans have worked until today, July 16, to pay for the total costs of federal, state and local government. This is 197 days of the year consuming 53.9 percent of national income. Over the past

22 years, in only four years (1982, 1983, 1991 and 1992) did Cost of Government Day fall later in the year.

Federal spending will consume 83.7 days. State and local spending will consume 50.5 days effort. Federal regulations cost 4l.7 days and State regulations cost 20.9 days. The spending data is precise, the regulatory burdens are understated.

Compared to when George W. Bush assumed the presidency in 200l, federal spending now consumes an additional three days of your life in 2008. The burden of federal regulations increased by one day after having remained stable as a percentage of the economy for the previous four years.

State and local spending increases cost Americans six additional days since 2003. Since the election of more liberal governors and state legislators in 2006, state spending has increased by 13.5 percent relative to the general economy.

[kc8ukw]

And I am reminded that when the income tax was first proposed, people were ridiculed for suggesting that, if enacted, it could someday grow as high as 4%!

[MichiganCheese]

Instead of “cost of government” maybe it should be referred as how much is taken away from the average working American and shamelessly given to others in return for their votes.

This is all totally unacceptable and unconstitutional. It is truly sickening. This “legalized” consfiscation of proptety is just as immoral as a criminal thief.

[an amused spectator]

Fortunately, the IRS just "acquired" a bunch of stolen bank records by paying off a criminal who stole the records. They'll use the stolen goods to put the arm on a bunch of "super-rich tax cheats", and all of the rest of us will see a significant reduction in our federal income taxes.

Or else Warshington will have a big party, and the remaining jack from the big bust will be used to hire more IRS revenooers & enforcers to squeeze even more jack out of the American serfs.

Woo-hoo!

[Gondring]

And I am reminded that when the income tax was first proposed, people were ridiculed for suggesting that, if enacted, it could someday grow as high as 4%!

...and those people were mocked as "Kooks," "Taxtards," "Nuts," etc., but in the vernacular of the day.

If conservative groups really cared about winning the day, they'd be sponsoring "polling" and advertisements asking the trivia question:

"What was the top federal personal income tax rate 100 years ago?"

With today's educational systems, I bet few Americans would come close.

[Cobra64]

Instead of “cost of government” maybe it should be referred as how much is taken away from the average working American and shamelessly given to others in return for their votes.

The way to look at it is how many days of your life are being confiscated by the government. Some could equate this to being in jail.

[griswold3]

Hauser’s Law.

no matter how high the tax rates are the government will only take in under 20% GDP. Even when the top marginal rate was 90% in 1950, 60% in 1960, and 35% in 2004, the revenues were around 20%.

[1rudeboy]

Rock on. And in a thread I posted today, our Congress is busy enacting laws that create incentives for taxpayers to renounce their citizenship.

America's Berlin Wall

[Gondring]

This is all totally unacceptable and unconstitutional

...not since 1913.

A previous 2% tax on the rich (>$4,000) was struck down, so the 16th Amendment was passed and ratified.

[PC99]

The federal side of the equation (and the state side for me, in California) does not take into account deficit spending. So I’ll effectively be working X days next year to fund this year as well.

[Carry_Okie]

Grover Norquist has a lot of damned gall to bitch about the cost of government when he has worked as an open borders advocate for decades.

[Ranger Drew]

This country fought its first revolution over a mere 1% tax.

I guess Americans have really turned into pu$$ies and will just accept whatever big government shoves down their throats.

[tflabo]

The founding fathers and signers of the US Constitution would be shocked and aghast at the size/taxes of Govt.
Insane isn’t it?

[navyguy]

Apparently this isn’t enough. Americans seem to want more taxes, more government and less liberty.

We live in a Tyranny of the Stupid.

[Recovering_Democrat]

"53.9%? It ain't enough. We're shootin' for 66%."

[bamahead]

ping

[Condor51]

If conservative groups really cared about winning the day, they'd be sponsoring "polling" and advertisements asking the trivia question:

"What was the top federal personal income tax rate 100 years ago?"

With today's educational systems, I bet few Americans would come close.

The answer is 'zero'.
100 years ago there wasn't any Federal Income Tax. The 16th Amendment (Income Tax) wasn't ratified until Feb 3, 1913.

[MichiganCheese]

but...where does is say that the federal government’s role is to make some citizens provide for other citizens’ food, housing, education, health insurance, etc? Where does it say it is supposed to provide for art, radio stations and the myriad of other “worthy” causes.

While it has the power to tax, if it was spent only on common defense & general welfare, they wouldn’t be taking as much from us by force. The 16th amendment did NOT provide for a socialist state.

[reader25]

Shameful, at what point will people say “ENOUGH”. Seems as though the citizens of this great country just don’t care. In the very near future we will have Nationalized health care, energy and probably banking. I was born a free citizen of America but will probably die a slave to the American Socialist State.

Sad days for our once great nation!!!

[traviskicks]

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